SWTCW - Fleeting Reputations
by Count Mallet
Summary: Rewrite of the "Ahsoka Fugitive Arc" (S5:E18-20). Letta dies during a Jedi interrogation and Ahsoka is relieved of duty pending an investigation. She sneaks out of the temple to prove her innocence, leading the Jedi to search for both her and the real mastermind. Rated Teen for descriptions of cartoon violence, death, and torture. Originally posted on Fanfiction·net. [S33-F25-M11]
1. The Jedi Who Didn't Know Enough

**Preface**

This story completes a trilogy of sorts. This will be the third story I've written that relates to the so-called Ahsoka Fugitive Arc. My first story, _Walking Away from the Edge_, features an alternate universe where Ahsoka chooses to remain a Jedi, only to have the events from _Revenge of the Sith_ immediately follow. My second story, _Aftermath of an Injustice_, accepted the arc events as-is while speculating on what could have happened right after Ahsoka walks away from the Jedi Temple. This story is my first fix-fic. Although I wrote this nearly a year after the original episodes aired, I liked the idea of rewriting the final three episodes so that Ahsoka could remain a Jedi in one or more future seasons of the show. Finally, I have the chance to do this.

One noticeable difference with this story is that I tried to give the chapters more of a look and feel of actual Clone Wars episodes, down to the opening epigraph and narration starting each chapter.

I originally wrote this story in 2014 and reformatted it later that year. In 2015, I added this preface and further reformatted this story to be more consistent with my current writing style.

* * *

><p><strong>Acknowledgments<strong>

Very special thanks to The Walt Disney Company for all Star Wars characters and concepts.

* * *

><p><em>"The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living."<em>

—Marcus Tullius Cicero (as quoted at brainyquote·com)

* * *

><p><strong>Summary:<strong>_ After the arrest of suspected bomber, Letta Thurmond, the Jedi are eager to question her and learn more about the attack and the motives behind it. _

_But first, the Jedi must take time to remember those who died in the explosion._

* * *

><p>As Master Yoda finished his eulogy, six beams of light pierced the floor and penetrated the six caskets holding the Jedi killed in the temple bombing. Everyone in attendance looked on somberly as the caskets lowered into the cremation chamber. Afterwards, everyone departed in silence—partly out of respect for the deceased and partly out of shock. The attack had taken its toll on everyone.<p>

Out in the hallway, Barriss called out, "Ahsoka?"

Anakin turned and face the young Jedi. He told Ahsoka, "Go ahead and talk, but keep it brief. The council wants the two of us to continue questioning Letta."

"Yes, master," Ahsoka replied. She then turned to Barriss and asked her, "What's wrong?"

"Ahsoka, I understand what Master Yoda was trying to tell us. But, is it really a bad thing to mourn those who've fallen?" Barriss asked in reply.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're supposed to control our emotions and let go of them. But it just seems like it makes us cold and uncaring. I knew one of the Jedi. Tutso Mara and I trained together as younglings. He taught me how to hold my lightsaber properly. To let go makes me feel as if I'm being asked to forget about him."

"I don't think it's wrong to recall fond memories such as that. I think the key is not to let our grief and memories hinder us from moving forward."

Barriss smiled and said, "I'm glad someone else feels the same way. Master Luminara would probably think I wasn't behaving like a proper Jedi if she knew how I felt."

"Don't worry, I won't tell her. But I better go. I don't need the council scolding me for being late."

"Me, too. I've got to return to the Halls of Healing and treat more of the injured."

Ahsoka and Barriss shared a quick hug before they parted ways.

* * *

><p>Anakin and Ahsoka prepared to enter the temporary interrogation room. It had transparent walls so that everyone present could observe and listen to the interrogation. Admiral Tarkin's sudden arrival surprised Ahsoka.<p>

"What's **he** doing here?" she asked.

"What **I'm** doing here is observing the interrogation. The bombing injured and killed clones, so she's facing some serious Republic charges. In that case, I'd have jurisdiction over her," Tarkin replied tersely.

"Whatever," Ahsoka muttered under her breath as shrugged her shoulders. Both Anakin and she entered the room.

"Back for more, Jedi?" Letta stated softly.

"Your troubles are only beginning. You may have thought killing some Jedi would be no big deal. But you could be facing Republic charges as well. You killed civilians and clones, too. Or didn't you think about that?" Anakin replied. He clenched his prosthetic hand into a fist. Despite the heinous nature of the bombing, he had to keep his composure with the Jedi Council seeing and hearing everything that happened.

"What I don't understand is what you gained from this. You're a nobody. I never even heard of you before we captured you. And after this, everyone is going to remember you as the crazy lady who stupidly bombed the Jedi Temple—unless you were hoping to appear on _Coruscant's Dumbest Criminals_," Ahsoka added.

"Ahsoka, that's enough," Anakin chided her.

"You two can't see it, can you? The longer this war goes on, the more the public looks at you Jedi less favorably. How can self-professed peacekeepers fight in a never-ending war? But, I didn't do it for me. Someone else suggested the idea. One of your own," Letta stated.

Anakin looked on in shock. Did Letta just implicate a Jedi as the bombing mastermind? Outside, the news startled everyone observing.

"Tell us who it is!" Ahsoka demanded.

Letta appeared frightened. "I... I can't. There was two of them. One of them threatened me if I told anyone," she finally answered.

"We can make sure you stay safe for now. If you don't tell us, you'll take the fall and most likely be executed. Do you want to die while the others get away with murder?"

Letta took a deep breath. "It was ..." she begun to say before she floated into the air and grabbed her throat. It appeared someone was Force-choking her, but who?

"Letta!" Ahsoka cried out. She tried to break the invisible grip that held the prisoner and slowly throttled the life out of her. Unfortunately, whoever choked Letta had a stronger command of the Force than Ahsoka did. Before Anakin could react and help Ahsoka, it was too late. Letta fell to floor dead."

Outside the interrogation room, Tarkin grew furious.

"Did you see that? The padawan did it to her. She never did like me, so she's taking it out on a prisoner. You've got to do something!" he exclaimed.

Anakin, hearing the admiral's rant, opened the door. "I know we don't always see eye to eye, Tarkin, but Ahsoka didn't do it. She was trying to save her. So was I. Are you going to accuse me, too?" he asked.

"Of course not. But she was too impatient and took matters into her own hands! Besides, you're her master, you're naturally going to side with her."

"Excuse me, admiral, but as an outside observer, just as yourself, I saw nothing out of the ordinary from Padawan Tano," Obi-Wan said.

"Yet another Jedi protecting one of their own," Tarkin muttered.

"Meet, the Council, shall. Discuss the situation and reach a decision, we will," Yoda interjected. As he left for the council chamber, the remaining council members trailed behind him. Tarkin did as well, even though he'd have to wait outside the chamber.

"Wait here, you two," Obi-Wan told Anakin and Ahsoka.

Ahsoka looked down at the ground. "Master, you know I didn't kill her," she said, half-pleading.

"I know you didn't. Trust me, I know," Anakin replied. He didn't want to tell Ahsoka he knew first hand how it felt and looked when he Forced-choked others. But he sensed no darkness or evil from Ahsoka during the incident.

"I just hope they believe me."

* * *

><p>Inside the council chamber, the situation produced a spirited debate.<p>

"Nobody else could have killed the prisoner. So, Tano had to have done it. It's the only logical explanation," Ki-Adi Mundi said.

"Are you sure? Everyone present observed nothing out of the ordinary. Ahsoka made no gestures of any kind that would accompany such an act," Obi-Wan replied.

"I agree. There's no way Ahsoka would do such a thing. Granted, Skywalker may not always be the best teacher for her, but such a terrible act is out of character for Ahsoka," Plo Koon told everyone.

"Dangerous times, these are," Yoda said softly. Everyone's attention focused on the diminutive Grand Master.

"Growing, the anti-Jedi sentiments are. Unfavorable, our perception becomes. Dangerous, this is becoming. Still, decide Padawan Tano's fate we must. Vote, we shall," he added.

All the council members voted whether they felt Ahsoka was responsible for Letta's death. As the last vote was cast, Yoda looked at the tally curiously.

"An interesting result, this is. Evenly split, we are."

"Master, there are eleven people here. How can it be evenly split?" Kit Fisto asked.

"Vote not responsible, five of you did. Find her responsible, five more. Abstained, one did. Deadlocked, the council is."

Everyone looked at each other, suspicious of each others' votes.

"What happens now?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Relieve the padawan of duty and confine her to quarters we must. Investigate, we will," Yoda promised.

"Obi-Wan. As much as I hate to say this, if Padawan Tano is found responsible after the investigation, we'll have no choice but to hand her over to Tarkin," Mace Windu said.

Obi-Wan stroked his beard reflectively. "Let's hope we can clear her and do so quickly," he replied.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka sighed. Being restricted to her quarters frustrated her, especially with two temple guards and a clone guarding her door.<p>

"Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this. You'll be out in no time," Anakin said.

"We'll see," Ahsoka replied. As the main door shut behind Anakin, she remained unconvinced that anyone would believe her claim of innocence.

Anakin walked down the hall and found Obi-Wan and Plo Koon talking.

"Masters, we have to work to clear Ahsoka. Time is of the essence," Anakin stated.

"Obi-Wan and I agree with you. I just wish I knew who else voted in Ahsoka's favor," Plo answered.

"I think Master Ti would be one of them. Tarkin's comments didn't seem to persuade her at all," Obi-Wan said.

"I'll contact her and see if she can do some research for us."

"I've got to go, too, masters. I have an idea as well. It may take all night, but it's the only chance we have to get a definitive answer," Anakin stated.

"Very well, then. Go do what you need to, then. Master Plo and I can handle things from here," Obi-Wan stated.

As Anakin left, Plo told Obi-Wan, "I just hope we're right. If not, this could be worse than when Dooku left the order to become a Sith."

Obi-Wan nodded. The last thing the Jedi Order needed was another public relations nightmare.

Elsewhere, Anakin found the investigative droid, Russo-ISC.

"Russo, thank the Maker you're still here. I need your help," he said.

"Forgive me, but didn't you already find the temple bomber?" Russo asked in reply.

"We did, but something else happened. My padawan is accused of murdering the suspect, even though she didn't. I'd like you and your team of droids to go to where the interrogation room was and investigate. If anyone can find evidence and be objective about it, it's you."

"You're exactly right, there. I'll bring some of my droids and we'll comb the area and review all the logs and data we can access."

"Thanks, Russo. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. If there's anything I can do to help..."

"Master Skywalker, it's late and you need rest. We don't need any help. I'd recommend you sleep."

"I **can't** sleep until I get to the bottom of this. I guess I can go get some caf in the dining hall."

* * *

><p>Later that night, Ahsoka rolled over in her bed for the umpteenth time. Although her confinement lasted just a few hours, the stress took its toll on the teen. She couldn't sleep and the idea that any of the council members thought she would kill a murder suspect unnerved her.<p>

_ Who voted against me? And, who abstained?_ she thought. The person that abstained might have voted in her favor, meaning she might not be restricted to her quarters. However, the same person could have voted that she was responsible for Letta's murder, leading to her own arrest.

_ Somebody has it out for me, but who? I'd suspect Tarkin, but he's no Jedi—and he can't Force-choke people. But who else could it be? Something definitely doesn't add up here._ she reasoned.

Ahsoka stood up and went into the refresher room. As she rubbed her eyes, she grabbed and drank a small glass of water. In addition to her confinement, the Jedi Council jammed her commlink signal to prevent her from communicating to anyone. But, this also precluded her from asking anyone to help her. In addition, it appeared the council filtered her HoloNet access. Slowly, Ahsoka pondered an idea. Maybe it wasn't the best idea given the circumstances, but it seemed to be the only real alternative.

She quickly changed into her outfit. Surprisingly, nobody asked her to surrender her lightsabers, so she clipped those to her belt. She had no intentions to use them on anybody inside the temple. Thankfully, her idea would help her keep that promise, if it succeeded.

Ahsoka quietly used the Force to open the vent grating inside her quarters. It looked like a tight fit now that her montrals were longer and stuck out more, but she felt sure she could sneak out that way. Using a well-timed Force-leap, she entered the grate with some room to spare. Another Force gesture helped her re-secure the grate. Although she wasn't sure how the vents were configured inside the temple, she was sure that using the Force would help her find the hangar bay with her ship. From there, she's do her own investigating and start in the underworld again. With Anakin, she had found clues at Letta's apartment, so she'd start there—even if she didn't yet know what her next move would be.

A few minutes later, she successfully made her way into the hangar. _But, have they sensed my disappearance?_ she thought. She prepared to run to her ship when she nearly knocked over Jocasta Nu.

"Oh, excuse me, Madame Nu," Ahsoka apologized.

"It's okay, padawan. Where are you off to so late?" Jocasta asked the teen.

Hoping to say something the elder librarian might believe, Ahsoka answered, "I … I'm doing some more investigation of the temple bombing. I think I might have a lead. I want to check it now before anything happens to the evidence."

"You padawans have such exciting missions these days. I wish I had such excitement when I was your age. Good luck, and may the Force be with you."

"Thanks, Madame," Ahsoka replied before running off to her ship. There, she took off and made her way back to the underworld.

* * *

><p>Anakin sat half-asleep in a dining hall when his commlink chimed.<p>

"Master Skywalker. I have something you'll want to see," Russo-ISC stated on the other end.

Anakin jumped up as if he had taken a refreshing power nap. "I'm on my way!" he yelled. Thankfully, a few overnight staff members were the only individuals in the hall. Arriving to meet Russo, the sight of Obi-Wan and Plo also waiting surprised Anakin.

"What is it?" Anakin asked anxiously.

"We found something peculiar. But, if it's accurate, it's proof Ahsoka couldn't be behind Letta's death," Obi-Wan replied.

Russo-ISC pressed a button and played an enhanced video log. Even though there was no audio, it replayed Anakin and Ahsoka's questioning of Letta. All of a sudden, a blurry area appeared in the corner of the screen.

"Can you do something? The picture's fuzzy." Anakin said.

"That's what we found, Master Skywalker. Watch carefully while I magnify the view several times," Russo-ISC stated as he flipped his eyepiece.

Anakin looked carefully. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imaging things from his lack of sleep. It appeared as if he was seeing the outline of someone's body.

"It looks like somebody is hanging on the ceiling. But who has transparent skin?" Anakin asked with noticeable confusion.

"I don't think it's someone transparent, Skywalker. If I'm right, it appears like it might be a shape shifter of some sort," Plo replied.

"A Force-sensitive one?" Obi-Wan asked in disbelief. The only shape shifter he could think of was the former Zam Wesell.

"I can't speak for species, of course, but this does confirm that some sort of shape shifter was hanging around during your interrogation," Russo-ISC replied.

"This is great news! We have to tell the council. This proves Ahsoka didn't kill Letta. Russo, thanks a lot. You were a big help like I figured," Anakin exclaimed. Both Obi-Wan and Plo sensed his relief.

"Naturally," Russo-ISC replied indifferently.

"I'll assemble the Council. You and Obi-Wan go tell Ahsoka the news. With this footage, I'm sure it will remove any doubt as to Ahsoka's innocence," Plo replied.

Anakin and Obi-Wan returned to the former's quarters. The temple guards quickly stood in front of the door.

"Only Master Skywalker may enter," one of them stated.

"That's fine. I can wait," Obi-Wan stated.

Anakin ran into his quarters. "Ahsoka, we found proof of your innocence! The council is about to meet and you can rejoin me again soon," he said. However, he panicked when he didn't receive a response.

"Ahsoka?" he asked again as he checked her room and knocked on the half-closed refresher room door. He reached into the Force and suddenly ran back out into the hall.

"Obi-Wan, she's not here," he said.

"Are you sure?" Obi-Wan asked. He turned to the temple guards. "You stood watch the whole time, right?" he asked.

Both guards nodded silently. "I did, too," the clone added. "She never even opened the door."

Anakin looked inside the quarters again. As he adjusted the lights, he noticed a small screw on the floor.

"Now where did this come from?" he asked out loud before he looked up. "Umm, Obi-Wan, I think I know what happened. Look," he added before pointing to the ceiling.

"Ahsoka escaped through the vents and our guards had no idea?" Obi-Wan asked in disbelief.

"Apparently so."

"Even you weren't that disobedient. You really need to talk to your padawan. This isn't going to look good when we see the council."

"Do you really have to tell them?"

"You're right, Anakin, I'll just tell them nobody knows where she is. That will certainly help her look innocent," Obi-Wan replied sarcastically.

Anakin shook his head.

The temple guards looked on in disbelief as well. Surely, they would be disciplined for their failure to keep Ahsoka confined to her quarters.

* * *

><p>"While it's good to see proof of Padawan Tano's innocence, it's disturbing to know she sneaked out of custody and is who knows where," Master Windu stated.<p>

"She's only doing what's natural for us. When we feel cornered, especially in the wild, we do whatever we can to get out of the situation," Shaak Ti said.

"Perhaps, but if it wasn't for this new evidence, she'd certainly look more guilty now," Saesee Tiin replied.

"A two-fold mission, we have, first thing in the morning. Identify and capture the culprit, we must. And bring back this lost child … before it's too late," Master Yoda told the council.

As Anakin and Obi-Wan returned to their quarters, Anakin remained anxious.

"We've got to find her. I don't know what Yoda means by 'too late,' but we need to find her before something bad **does** happen."

"Anakin, she'll be okay," Obi-Wan replied. He stopped and placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I know I tease you about passing some of your less-than-ideal traits to her, but Ahsoka can take care of herself. She proved that when she was kidnapped by the Transdoshans," he reminded Anakin.

"I suppose you're right, Obi-Wan. But, I'll still feel better when she's by my side and I can tell her she's innocent and we can prove it."

"Get some rest, Anakin. We'll work on finding her in the morning. I promise."

Anakin nodded before reentering his quarters. The idea of Ahsoka missing unnerved him, but Obi-Wan was right that he'd need his sleep so he'd be read for the mission to find his missing padawan.


	2. The Search for Force-sensitives

_"All war is deception."_

—Sun Tzu (as quoted at brainyquote·com)

* * *

><p><strong>Summary: <strong>_Ahsoka Tano, the initial suspect of Letta Thurmond's murder, sneaks out of her quarters to search for proof of her innocence. As she searches, the Jedi find their own evidence in the form of a Force-sensitive shape shifter. Can they find their new suspect and locate Ahsoka before anything else happens?_

* * *

><p>Eager to start the mission, Anakin quickly changed clothes after waking up. Before he left, he entered Ahsoka's room. The thought of her questioning her innocence and doing something she might later regret troubled him deeply. He felt especially motivated to find her and tell her the good news.<p>

_I just hope the council doesn't punish her too harshly for her escape_, he thought.

Anakin suddenly looked at Ahsoka's desk where a half-folded flimsiplast sheet drew his attention. He picked it up and read it.

_Anakin,_

_I know this doesn't look good for me, but I have to find clues on my own. If the council doubts my innocence, then I'm the only one who can prove them wrong. I'm not sure where I'll go or what I'll look for, but I have to do this. _

_I still trust you wholeheartedly, master. But right now, I've got to stand up for myself. You have to trust me now._

—_Ahsoka._

Anakin took the note and ran as fast as he could to Yoda's chamber. He felt Yoda needed to know just how desperate Ahsoka's mindset had become.

* * *

><p>"I must object to the use of clones on this mission," Admiral Tarkin stated.<p>

"Tarkin, we already have proof of Ahsoka's innocence. There's no reason why I can't take the 501st and why Master Plo can't bring the Wolfpack to help us locate both Ahsoka and the shape-shifting suspect," Anakin replied.

"I'll believe she's innocent only if you come back with someone else in custody."

"If that's what it takes, I'll do it. Don't you worry, Admiral."

"Okay, everyone, Ahsoka is **not**,I repeat not, the suspect. Do not use deadly force on her. Set your weapons to stun, now," Plo ordered the Wolfpack.

"Sir, yes sir," Wolffe and the rest of the clones all replied in near unison as they made the ordered adjustment.

"Also, stun the suspect if possible. We need him or her alive to get the answers we need."

Both ships containing the Jedi and their respective clones left for the nearest portal to Coruscant's underworld.

"I wish they would have unblocked Ahsoka's commlink. We could contact her that way or perhaps even locate her," Anakin told Plo though his own commlink.

"Unfortunately, Skywalker, the Council as a whole still considers Ahsoka one of the suspects for now until we can get to the bottom of this. Otherwise, I'd agree with you," Plo replied.

"All the more reason we have to find her and the real culprits."

"Patience, Skywalker. Force willing, we will find both and resolve this matter easily."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka sighed. Her return trip to Letta's apartment produced nothing but the smell of rotten garbage and more vermin than she ever wanted to see in her lifetime, let alone in one place. Not knowing where else to look next, she recalled some other underworld businesses from previous missions. However, every single place she visited yielded no clues or useful information. As Ahsoka walked along a narrow passageway on level 1320, she resisted the urge to pinch her nose shut.<p>

_ This is one time I don't like having enhanced senses._ Ahsoka thought. The stench convinced her that the lowlife used the street as a refresher and not for its intended purpose. Unknown to her, though, someone followed her at a distance ever since she arrived on this level. The masked person gave a sub-audible sneer and stealthily leaped onto an overhang to remain undetected.

Elsewhere, both Anakin and Plo had no luck finding Ahsoka or their suspect.

"This is going nowhere, Master Plo. There's no way we can scour the whole underworld in a reasonable amount of time," Anakin stated.

Plo heard Anakin's growing frustration through the commlink, before he answered, "I agree. We may need to deploy what few probe droids we have and scatter the clones to cover more ground."

"Let's do it. It's our only hope."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka's montrals tingled. Something didn't seem right. Still, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Yet, she felt she needed to be ready in case her fears came to light. Was there truly danger in the air? Or, was her lack of sleep starting to take its toll on her?<p>

Ahsoka then took a deep breath. "Now where would someone bold enough to bomb the temple be hiding?" she asked herself out loud.

"Why don't you ask me, you filthy pet?" a voice hissed in the darkness.

Ahsoka quickly turned around. The armored body looked unfamiliar. As the individual raised her mask, however, the pale, bald head was familiar enough that Ahsoka would recognize it in her sleep.

"Ventress! What do you want?!" Ahsoka asked as she quickly reached for her lightsabers.

Ventress sensed something odd and closed her fists. The probe droid she detected a short distance away self-destructed.

"Relax, Tano. I'm not here to fight you," she finally replied.

Ahsoka appeared confused, asking, "What?"

"I'm not Dooku's selfless lackey anymore. I know more than you think. I know you're suspected in some sort of murder, and I know you're anxious to clear your name. It's so much more fun being a bounty hunter. I can learn anything I want if I pay the right people."

"If you're a bounty hunter, why aren't you capturing me?"

"Nobody's asked me to do that. However, I might be able to help you with your search for clues."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. Was Ventress really about to help her?

"What can you tell me?"

"What do **you **have to offer me, child?"

"In case you forgot, Jedi don't carry unlimited credits with them."

"I knew that. But surely you can do something useful for me?"

"What could I possibly have or do that could help you?"

Ventress thought for a minute. It was rare for her to have the upper hand on someone in this manner, especially a member of the Jedi Order. Perhaps it might be fun to make the teen padawan compromise her values.

"Tell you what. If my information leads to your being cleared of this, I want you to tell your precious Jedi Council you had help from me. Maybe then, they'll realize that one can't rely solely on the light side of the Force."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. Did she really have to tell the Jedi she had help from Ventress? However, Ahsoka had no clues or evidence in her favor at the moment. If Ventress really had useful information, she needed it.

"Deal," Ahsoka reluctantly replied and stuck out her hand.

Ventress shook it briefly. "Excellent. We have to hurry. I think someone is watching us. I know a shortcut. Let's get out of here," she told Ahsoka.

Meanwhile, a clone monitoring probe data quickly contacted his superior.

"General Skywalker, one of the probes on level 1320 abruptly stopped transmitting a moment ago. I'm going to transmit the last images it recorded before the malfunction," he said.

Anakin looked as his commlink displayed the holographic images. Anakin gritted his teeth at the sight of Ventress confronting Ahsoka and the latter reaching for her lightsabers before the image abruptly terminated.

"Master Plo. We need to get to level 1320. A probe just recorded an image of Ventress and Ahsoka. It looks like she's ready to attack her. I bet **she's** involved in this somehow."

"What makes you so sure, Skywalker?" Plo asked.

"Think about it. Ventress may not be with Dooku any longer, but recent intelligence has her as a bounty hunter. Besides, it's well-known she hates Ahsoka something fierce. I wouldn't out it past her to hire the shape shifter to infiltrate the temple to bomb it and kill the only suspect we had."

"We still have no proof of Ventress being involved, but we do need to get to Ahsoka. Meet me on that level."

"You heard General Koon. Get to level 1320 fast!" Anakin commanded his transport's driver.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka and Ventress navigated narrow alleys and small tunnels connecting one level to another. At one point, Ventress abruptly pushed Ahsoka into a tunnel. Ahsoka barely caught a fleeting glimpse of what looked like a clone trooper before she stumbled into the tunnel.<p>

"Clones, what are **they** doing here?" Ahsoka asked.

"See, your precious Jedi must not be convinced of your innocence if they've got armed clones looking for you. All the more reason for you to trust me to help you for now," Ventress replied.

Ahsoka felt confused. Part of her wanted to go back to tell the clones Ventress was actually helping her explore a possible lead. Still, Ventress' words haunted Ahsoka. Did someone convince the Jedi she murdered Letta when she really didn't?

Elsewhere, a clone trooper transmitted an update.

"Sir, I'm on Level 1317. I think I saw that Sith witch push Ahsoka into a conduit, but I don't think they're on this level now."

Anakin, upon hearing the news, quickly shared his opinion with Plo.

"See, Ventress is on to us now. Why else would she be treating Ahsoka like a captive and trying to evade us?" he asked.

"I'm not sure what to think, Skywalker. But we definitely need to catch up to them now," Plo replied.

After numerous twists and turns, Ahsoka thought Ventress and she might be on level 1315 now, but she wasn't sure. The chirping of Ventress' commlink broke the eerie silence of the underworld.

"Can you excuse me, I need to take this... in private. Overhear anything you shouldn't and my deal is off!" Ventress sneered.

Ahsoka nodded. For now, she wanted to avoid Ventress' bad side. She walked a distance away where she couldn't hear the conversation or read Ventress' lips. A few minutes later, Ventress rejoined her.

"It appears I have a new contract. I'll need to help you quickly so I can start my new mission," Ventress said.

Ahsoka nodded. A few minutes later, they stood near a dilapidated warehouse.

"Well, come on in. You wanted a clue, didn't you?" Ventress asked.

"Of course. But what's in here?" Ahsoka asked in reply.

"Come in, I'll show you."

Ahsoka carefully walked in. Only the Force helped her avoid a large hole in the floor. She briefly peered down. The warehouse apparently had one or more subbasements.

"Yeah, this is not the place for one to be reckless. Come up here. I think you'll find what you need."

Ahsoka slowly scaled a metal stairway. As she looked around, she found a number of large crates. As her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, she made out faint letters on the box.

"Nanodroids! Is this really where they came from?" Ahsoka asked in disbelief.

"It is. It's also a shame you won't get to tell anyone," Ventress hissed. She then ignited her lightsabers.

"What … what are you doing? We had a deal!" Ahsoka pleaded.

"'Had' being the operative word. I've been asked to make sure you don't leave here. And since you can't pay me more credits than I've been promised, you can't stop me."

Ventress quickly lunged towards Ahsoka. Ahsoka barely had time to ignite her saber and shoto and cross them in a last-second attempt to block Ventress' strike. The force of blow sent Ahsoka reeling backwards. She stopped with barely enough room to spare. Two more steps and she would have fallen out of a hole in the outer wall of the warehouse.

Ventress swung both her sabers relentlessly. Ahsoka did her best to block the blows but had no time for an offensive attack of her own. Suddenly, Ventress gave Ahsoka a vicious kick to the stomach. As she fell to the ground, her sabers extinguished and her shoto jarred loose and fell back down the same stairway she earlier used. Ahsoka looked on in horror. She'd now have to adjust her strategies.

Ahsoka slowly got up. It hurt to breathe, but she ignited her lightsaber and switched to her old Shien grip. It had been a while since she had wielded one blade alone, but she was determined to do what she could. If only her commlink wasn't blocked so she could try to summon help.

Ventress charged again. Ahsoka's reflexes and speed helped her narrowly block each of the strong strikes, but her breath labored more with each passing minute. Her montrals buzzed with warning, but it was too late.

Ventress Force-pulled an oil drum from the corner and it knocked Ahsoka off her feet. She yelped in pain as it caught her side. She wasn't sure if her ribs were broken or just bruised, but she couldn't hold up much longer. Another drum came towards her and Ahsoka desperately held her blade up to protect her from the impact.

As the blade met the oil inside the drum, it exploded. Ventress successfully leaped up and held onto a beam protruding from the ceiling. Ahsoka, however, wasn't so lucky. The blast threw her into a wall. Ahsoka could barely stand now, but she slowly rose and tried to regain her bearings.

Ventress, however, made one last move against the injured padawan. She leaped into the air. A well-placed kick into Ahsoka's back made her shriek as Ventress' boot made contact with her rear lek. As Ahsoka fell to the floor, Ventress reignited her sabers and crossed them at Ahsoka's throat.

"You're finished, Tano! You have two choices: drop your saber and surrender; or I'll permanently detach your body from your horny little head!"

Ahsoka let out a pained sigh as her right hand slowly let go of her lightsaber. Ventress extinguished her own sabers and reattached them to her belt. After picking up Ahsoka's lightsaber, she put a pair of Force-binders on Ahsoka.

"I knew you'd see this my way. Now, let's go."

Ventress escorted the injured Ahsoka out a back entrance of the warehouse. There, two shadowed individuals waited.

"Wait a minute. We didn't ask you to bring her to us. We just wanted her off our trail," one of them said.

"That's not important. She's in no shape to cause you any trouble. What you do with her is of no concern to me. I just want my credits," Ventress snarled.

Ahsoka tried to make out the voices, but her head ached to the point that the voices seemed distorted and disjointed in her lekku. If she wasn't so disoriented, she wished she could see who the people were. Could they be involved in the bombing plot?

"As you wish. One hundred thousand credits to be transferred on the spot."

"No. Make it two hundred thousand now. The extra is to make sure I say nothing in case I'm found before I can get out of here."

"Bounty hunters have about as few scruples as the Jedi these days," the man responded. He activated his datapad and pressed a button. After it chimed, he said, "There, two hundred thousand credits. Now get out of here before you make me vomit!"

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you, too. Oh, and you might be interested in this," Ventress replied. She handed the man Ahsoka's lightsaber and then left as quickly as she could.

"Hmm, it's nice to see this again after so many years. Such a pity she might not ever get to hold it again."

The man then turned to Ahsoka and pulled out a hand-held stunner. He jabbed it into Ahsoka's back and pressed the trigger. Ahsoka briefly shrieked before collapsing to the ground unconscious.

The shape shifter finally spoke up. "What do we do now, Kran?" he asked.

Kran looked around, as if he was about to reveal something secret.

"I hope she didn't hear you say my name, Abo. I want her conscious again when she realizes who I am and why I look forward to ending her term as a padawan in as much disgrace as possible. Let's get her to the ship. If the bounty hunter is right, her friends might be looking for her as we speak," Kran replied.

Abo scooped up Ahsoka's unconscious body and carried her like a sack of dry goods. Both he and Kran boarded their ship and left the area, making sure not to draw the suspicion of the clone troopers they saw scouring the area.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Anakin hit yet another dead end on Level 1320. He reached the site where the probe droid recorded its data. All that was left was a crushed droid and no signs of Ahsoka or Ventress.<p>

"I wish we could find them. They can't have made it too far, could they?" Anakin yelled in frustration.

"Easy, Skywalker. I've found nothing on Level 1317, either. I understand your frustration. I'm concerned, too; but emotions won't help us find her any quicker," Plo reminded Anakin.

Anakin remained unconvinced, stating, "We've got to find her."

"Anakin, please. Calm down. I need you as focused as possible if we are to find Ahsoka and get to her in time," Plo stated as gently as possible.

Anakin nodded. Suddenly his commlink chirped.

"Sir, I've received word of an explosion on Level 1315. Should we check it out?" Rex asked.

"General Koon and I are on our way. Get there in double time!" Anakin yelled through his commlink.

A short time later, both the 501st and the Wolfpack arrived on the scene. Police droids, however, prevented anyone from entering the warehouse until the fire was extinguished.

"Sir, wait," one of the droids said to Anakin as he quickly entered the warehouse.

"My padawan might be here. I've got to get a look inside!" Anakin replied.

"This warehouse is abandoned. We didn't see any signs of recent activity."

Anakin ignored the droid and continued forward. Master Plo followed shortly behind.

Anakin coughed a bit from the lingering haze of smoke. "Something happened here. There's no way this is spontaneous combustion," he said.

Plo nodded and felt something hit his right foot. As he bent over to take a look, he noticed something peculiar next to his boot.

"Hey, that's Ahsoka's shoto!" Anakin exclaimed.

"It appears she was here, after all. But she's not here now," Plo replied.

Anakin closed his eyes. "I can't sense her anywhere close."

"Something has happened to her, and I sense it might not be good. Something sinister is definitely afoot, Skywalker."

As Plo continued to look at Ahsoka's shoto, Anakin looked around the warehouse.

"What do we do now?" Anakin finally asked, his voice echoing in the silence.

Master Plo appeared troubled as he answered, "We haven't found her yet, but we have to go back to the temple and report what we know."

"Tarkin will still think Ahsoka is involved in this."

"While I'm convinced she remains innocent, we still don't have any leads on the shape shifter. And, we don't know how Ventress fits into this—if at all."

Anakin and Plo left the warehouse to rejoin their clones.

"Sir, did you find anything?" Rex asked Anakin.

"No, Rex. We're heading back. Once we get moving, set up a commlink transmission with the Jedi Temple," Anakin replied.

"Yes, general."


	3. The Improbable Ones

_"The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves."_  
>—William Penn (as quoted at brainyquote·com)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Summary:<strong> _A padawan in trouble! Ahsoka Tano, eager to prove her innocence, makes a deal with former Sith acolyte turned bounty hunter, Asajj Ventress. Unfortunately for Ahsoka, Ventress double-crosses her and turns her over to the true culprits behind the bombing and Letta Thurmond's murder._

_ Meanwhile, the Jedi Plo Koon and Anakin Skywalker, along with their clones, find their efforts to locate Ahsoka and the bombing suspect frustrating. They make the difficult decision to report their lack of progress to the Jedi Council._

* * *

><p>As Abo navigated his ship towards one of the portals leading to the outside portion of Coruscant, Kran growled in frustration as he walked back over to the containment field holding Ahsoka. After checking her vital signs, he looked on indifferently at her injured body. Even Hondo Ohnaka, who recently held a mistreated Ahsoka in containment, would find Ahsoka's current physical state appalling.<p>

"What's wrong?" Abo called out from the cockpit area.

"She's barely conscious. I wanted her to know who she was with. But she's so out of it, she wouldn't know who I was right now. Are we almost near the surface, Abo?"

"Not yet, we have to go slow. You don't want to be stopped or delayed now, I'm sure," Abo replied.

Kran returned to the cockpit area before answering his colleague. "Bah. Every time I think I'm about ready to reveal my plot to her, something always happens to stymie me!"

"I told you that using that electrostaff on its highest setting was a bad idea."

"Shut up, Abo! For the past few years, I've wanted to make her suffer. If I can't tell her why, I'll just have to dispose of her the first chance we get—preferably someplace out-of-the-way so none of her friends find her until she's dead."

"Why do you want her dead, anyways?"

"It wasn't part of my original plan. I just wanted to discredit her. But her death will just make my revenge that much sweeter. Ever since she was 12 and got that special trip to her home planet, she became rather overconfident about her skills. The last straw was seeing her promoted to padawan before any of us. Sure, she was good with a lightsaber, but the rest of us in the clan were far more level-headed than she was. And I, of all people, never even got selected as a padawan. I got sent to the AgriCorps. Meanwhile, **she** got to be the Chosen One's padawan and everybody knows who she is—even the Separatists! But I, Kran Bumfimp—one of the top students of the Clawmouse Clan—ended up in the AgriCorps where nobody knows my name or cares what I can do with vegetables. I should have had her accolades instead! If I don't deserve them, neither does she!"

Kran walked to the back of the ship again and grabbed his electrostaff. He jabbed Ahsoka's body one last time. However, she barely flinched; her body lacked the strength to react to the painful jolts of electricity. Kran tossed the electrostaff aside and looked into his pocket where he kept her lightsaber.

* * *

><p>As Anakin and Plo slowly navigated a conduit leading to Coruscant's outer level. Anakin sensed a disturbance in the Force. He quickly contacted Plo.<p>

"Master, did you feel that?" he asked.

"I did, Skywalker."

"It's Ahsoka, I know it! She's not far away. Once we get out of the tube, go to coordinates 379, 17. We'll pick up the trail from there."

"Sir, the Council is ready to hear from General Koon and yourself," Rex interrupted.

"Let them know we can't talk now, Rex. We've found a clue to Ahsoka's whereabouts," Anakin stated.

"As you wish, General," Rex replied.

"Skywalker, let me talk to the Council. That way, you can focus on locating Ahsoka," Plo suggested.

* * *

><p>Abo breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching the opening to Coruscant's main level. Kran continued to grow impatient to the point Abo feared for his own well-being.<p>

"Kran, we're finally out into the open again," Abo said.

"Finally, it's about time. Let's get out of here."

"Where should we go?"

"I don't care, Abo! Anywhere off the planet with a fueling station is fine. We can leave our prisoner behind after we refuel."

Abo nodded.

Elsewhere, Anakin & Plo, along with their clones, arrived to the coordinates of the other tube.

"What do we do now, General Skywalker?" the ship's navigator asked.

"Maintain this course. I don't think we're too far away now."

"Yes, sir!"

"Skywalker, I've just spoken to the Council," Master Plo reported.

"How did it go?" Anakin asked in reply.

"Tarkin is still pressuring the council for more action, but they agree that we should pursue this lead if it's our only clue at the moment."

Anakin shook his head in disbelief. "Tarkin may have a strategic mind, but he sure could use a bit more tact. I don't think he realizes that if the Jedi's reputation suffers from this, the entire Republic's reputation suffers as well."

"Perhaps, but we need to find Ahsoka. Let's hope she can give us the additional information we need."

"Sirs, I've found a slow moving ship ahead," the navigator stated.

"Follow that ship," Master Plo replied.

"If you get close enough, disable the engines, but do **not** destroy it. Commander Tano might be on that ship. We need her alive!" Anakin added.

Back on the other ship, Abo lurched in his chair.

"Abo, what are you doing?" Kran asked with obvious irritation in his voice."

Abo looked at the flashing lights on his instrumentation. "The engines are failing."

Kran's eyes narrowed. "Bantha poodoo!" he muttered in disgust. "It's the Jedi."

"What do we do now."

"Let me land the ship. You can stop the Jedi."

"How am I going to do that?"

Kran pulled Ahsoka's lightsaber out of his pocket and replied, "You're the shape shifter. Take this and present yourself as its owner. I hope you can stall the Jedi long enough for me to come up with something."

Abo traded places with Kran. Despite being force-sensitive, Abo was never taken to the Jedi Temple. The thought of wielding a lightsaber both awed him and left him slightly nervous. He nodded and ran towards the back of the ship. He stopped at the containment field and studied the injured Ahsoka. He couldn't tell if she was asleep, unconscious, or near death. Still, he couldn't raise Kran's ire anymore. He concentrated and slowly transformed himself into a near-mirror image of Ahsoka.

Back in the front of the ship, Kran accepted a transmission from the 501st navigator.

"You will land your ship at once," he stated.

Kran, knowing he couldn't outrun the clones in a disabled ship, nodded and landed.

* * *

><p>"Skywalker, be careful. We don't know what we're getting ourselves into."<p>

_ If I had my way, there would be nothing left but Ahsoka after I was done,_ Anakin thought to himself before he quickly cleared the thought out of his head.

"Don't worry, Master Plo. I'll detain the pilot and look for Ahsoka. I promise to contact you if I need assistance."

Plo, impressed with Anakin's unusual calmness, nodded.

Anakin left his own ship and went to board the other ship. He was all set to carve his own opening with his lightsaber when the gangway slowly lowered.

"Aww... and I like cutting into ships," Anakin said out loud. As he entered the ship, the sight of Ahsoka waiting surprised him.

"Ahsoka? Thank goodness you're OK and I found you. You had us all worried you know."

Abo, posing as Ahsoka, nodded. With Ahsoka unconscious, he never heard her speak. Consequently, he was unable to make an attempt to impersonate her voice.

"What's the matter? Normally, you'd have a smart comment for me by now."

Abo ignited Ahsoka's lightsaber and held it with both hands simply for lack of a better idea.

"Whoa, I know I like to tease you, but you don't have to take it so personally," Anakin said, clearly confused by what he observed.

Abo charged on Anakin, forcing the latter to ignite his own lightsaber. Anakin, thinking Abo was Ahsoka, went out of his way to simply parry Abo's strikes.

Anakin's eyes suddenly narrowed. He then launched a stronger offensive and Abo struggled to block the growing staccato of strikes and blows. Suddenly Anakin swung and caught one of Abo's wrists. As the Clawdite dropped the lightsaber and gave a deep groan of pain, his arm briefly flashed from orange to his normal gray shade.

"I knew you weren't Ahsoka! She'd never hold her lightsaber like that," Anakin stated as he extinguished his lightsaber and attached it to his belt. After restraining Abo in a pair of Force binders, he picked up Ahsoka's lightsaber and contacted Master Plo.

"I've captured a Clawdite who was impersonating Ahsoka. I'll need some help."

"Very good, Skywalker. I'll join you momentarily," Plo replied.

"Stop right there!" Kran called out, holding a blaster.

"And who are you?" Anakin asked.

"That's not important. Stand down, or your precious padawan dies!"

Up to now, Anakin controlled himself. However, he had no intention of letting a sleemo think about hurting Ahsoka. He clenched his mechno-arm's hand into a tight fist. Kran screamed and crumpled to the floor as his blaster exploded in his hands. Anakin towered over his fallen form when Master Plo interrupted him.

"What's going on?"

"Master Plo, this sleemo thought he could threaten me with a blaster. He's not so tough when he's unarmed."

As Plo restrained Kran, Anakin realized one last detail.

"Ahsoka!" he yelled before running into the ship's cargo hold. His eyes widened in horror when he spotted the containment field. Ahsoka was barely conscious. The physical signs of her mistreatment only served to heighten his desperate urge to do something.

Anakin ran up to the control panel and deactivated the field. As Ahsoka fell forward, he caught her limp body.

"Ahsoka? Can you hear me? Say something … anything!"

Ahsoka mumbled something incoherent before collapsing unconscious in Anakin's arms.

Anakin, having a brief flashback of his mother's death on Tatooine, felt determined to not let the same thing happen to Ahsoka.

"I won't let you die, Snips!" Anakin yelled. He then activated his commlink. "I've got Ahsoka, but she's fallen unconscious. I need some help here!"

"I'm about to return the prisoners to the temple," Plo replied.

"Sir, I could send Kix to help you," Rex interjected.

"I may also need your medic, too, Plo. Ahsoka's been mistreated pretty badly," Anakin said.

"Go help General Skywalker and his medic," Plo told his medic. He then turned to Commander Wolffe. "Let's return to the temple. Tarkin and the Council should be pleased that we captured these men."

On Anakin's ship, Kix grabbed his med-pack and additional medical supplies. As he left, he grabbed two more clones.

"You, and you, come with me. I'll need help to transport the commander, and I might need your first aid knowledge as well."

"Sir, yes sir!" both clones replied as they joined the medic.

Before embarking on the other ship, Kix was joined by another clone.

"CT-25-8035, reporting. You can call me Bones," the Wolfpack Medic said.

"Bones?" Kix asked in disbelief.

"I took my medic training so seriously, my instructors and brothers said I made no bones about it."

"Whatever works. I hope you brought your med-pack and a strong stomach. It sounds like Commander Tano needs everything we can give her—and more."

Bones nodded as the group entered the ship. None of the four clones were prepared to see how badly injured Ahsoka was now that Anakin had carefully laid her on the floor of the ship. Kix, himself, struggled with his own emotions.

"Something, wrong, Kix?" Anakin asked.

Kix took a deep breath to regain his composure the best he could. "Sir, I hope the sleemo that did this to her pays dearly," he finally muttered.

"Given how eager Tarkin was to bring someone to justice for this, I think he will see to it those two prisoners get **everything** they deserve."

"Where do I even start?" Bones asked, unsure which injuries needed immediate attention.

"We'll work together. I'll stabilize her and you can start on her lesser injuries," Kix replied as he begun to remove items out of his med-pack.

* * *

><p>Most of the Jedi Council, and Tarkin, waited at the Jedi Temple's landing pad. Tarkin felt especially pleased when Master Plo brought Kran and Abo with him and explained how they were behind the temple bombing and Letta's murder. The Council also breathed a collective sigh of relief to know Ahsoka definitely had no part in the murder. However, they were unnerved upon hearing that Ahsoka had been severely mistreated in captivity. A few council members were so disgusted, they found themselves physically unable to join their colleagues.<p>

Everyone looked on as Anakin's ship landed and members of the 501st quickly asked for a clear path inside. Kix and Bones led the way with the two other clones carefully transporting Ahsoka in a repulsorlift stretcher.

Master Yoda looked on in anguish. The Clone Wars undoubtedly took its toll on the Jedi Order, but there was something more unpleasant about seeing one of his subordinates the victim of a cruel tormentor. Master Ti's own reaction of disgust was hidden as she quickly covered her face in her hands.

Tarkin, whose dislike of Ahsoka was no secret, looked on stolidly as the clones passed by him. However, the sight of Ahsoka bloodied with innumerable injuries, bandages, and an IV solution bag in each of her arms led him to look away slightly and down at the ground.

Anticipating Ahsoka's need for critical care, a senior healer from the Halls of Healing was already waiting for the clones.

"Follow me, please, and let me know her current status," the healer stated.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka's head reeled. She had no idea what all happened to her after her capture and torture. She thought she heard a number of voices, but she couldn't see who it was or hear what was said. She felt like she was swimming in some sort of haze, before she heard what sounded like echoes of her own voice.<p>

_ I'm Ahsoka. Master Yoda sent me._

_ Stop calling me that! You're stuck with me, Skyguy._

_ Nope, I'm the one with enthusiasm._

_ If it isn't the hairless harpy._

_ Sorry to interrupt your playtime, Grumpy. But wouldn't you prefer a challenge?_

_ I hate it when you call me that!_

_ Those are my people!_

_ Hondo! What are you doing here?_

_ What are you doing? We had a deal!_

Ahsoka's head continued to spin. Why was she reliving various moments of the past few years?

* * *

><p>Two days later, Ahsoka's eyes opened up for the first time since she fell unconscious. The light, despite a low setting, blinded her despite her enhanced senses. She slowly made out two distinctive silhouettes and tried to reach her arms forward.<p>

"Easy, Ahsoka. You're still a bit weak," Anakin said.

"Your master is right. But it's good to have you back, Little Soka," Plo added.

Ahsoka's eyes slowly refocused. She gasped when she realized she was in the Halls of Healing. Her eyes lit up in horror when she saw herself covered in several bandages and bacta patches. She gasped upon realizing she wore a medical gown, had an IV in her right arm, and oxygen tubing in her nostrils.

"What … happened … to me?" Ahsoka slowly asked hoarsely. She didn't expect speaking such a simple question to be such a struggle.

"You were captured and tortured by the real bombing culprits, Ahsoka," Anakin replied.

"So … I'm not," Ahsoka stated before being cut off by Anakin.

"You're not guilty of Letta's murder. Incidentally, Master Plo, what did you learn about those two we captured?"

"The Clawdite was a Force-sensitive named Abo. He was never brought to the Jedi Temple, so nobody knows much about him. He was the one who infiltrated the temple and Force-choked Letta. The other was someone who knew Ahsoka well."

Ahsoka's eyes widened again. "Who?" she asked before her body stopped her from saying more.

"Kran Bumfimp, one of your Clawmouse Clan classmates, confessed to the bombing and the plot to frame you for Letta's murder. Apparently, he was jealous of your success and his own relegation to the AgriCorps that he decided to disgrace you. When that didn't work out the way he planned, he took matters into his own hands."

Ahsoka weakly shook her head in disbelief before she felt a single tear run down her right cheek.

"Why?" she asked.

"He showed promise as an initiate, but his inability to contain his emotions worked against him, so he was assigned to the AgriCorps. Apparently, he never let go of his disappointment like he should have done, and he channeled it into the very unbecoming hate we try to avoid."

The news stunned Ahsoka. Her classmates worked well together during their initiate years. They even earned personal praise from Master Yoda after they had a very successful Gathering. How could one of them turn against her in this fashion?

"When do I come back?" Ahsoka whispered.

"Well, here's the thing," Anakin began to say, "the council was very quick to clear you of Letta's murder when we returned with Kran and his associate in custody. However, they weren't too happy about you sneaking out of the temple when you were confined to quarters. So, they felt you needed to be disciplined once you're medically cleared for active duty. Fortunately, given the nature of your injuries, they chose to be lenient with you. You'll only have to serve a censure period of thirty standard days."

Ahsoka blinked her eyes. "I deserve it," she replied simply.

"I hate to interrupt you, but my patient needs her rest. That way, she can recover quicker," Barriss said.

Master Plo nodded and stood up. "Get well, soon, Ahsoka. May the Force be with you," he stated.

"Don't worry, Snips. I'll come see you again the first chance I get... and your healer here allows me," Anakin added with a playful smile.

"Thanks, master," Ahsoka answered softly as both Jedi left.

Barriss performed another medical scan. "Your vital signs are much better today. That's a relief. You had us worried when you first got here."

"What... what do you mean?" Ahsoka asked, trying not to say too much at once.

Barriss blinked her eyes and looked away slightly. She then made eye contact with Ahsoka again.

"We had to resuscitate you twice when you first got here. Whatever your captors did to you must have been pretty bad."

Ahsoka closed her eyes tightly. Maybe it was better she didn't remember anything about what happened to her after Ventress double-crossed her.

"Don't worry Ahsoka. Now that I'm knighted and a full healer now, you're in good hands. But don't relax too much. I may be your best friend; but I'll be pushing you once you heal more. I know you want to get back into active duty, so the sooner you cooperate with me and your therapy regimen, the quicker you can serve that 30-day censure."

"I just hope it's not … library duty," Ahsoka replied.

"I'll do what I can so you can do something slightly more in line with your skills," Barriss promised. "But for now, just lay there and let me tend to some of your more serious injuries."

* * *

><p>Kran paced in his cell. He knew it was pointless to do anything but confess, but he didn't expect to be transferred from Jedi custody to the Republic prison. Worse, Abo was kept in a different cell in a separate wing. As a result, news of a visitor startled him when the guards briefly deactivated his cell's ray-shielding. As the guards left and reactivated the ray-shielding, Kran looked in horror as his visitor raised a hood over his head.<p>

"What are you doing here? They'll know who you are." Kran said nervously.

"Oh, don't you worry about that. The security camera is malfunctioning and they won't know what is said or done here, my boy," Darth Sidious replied with an arrogant air of confidence.

"But why do you want to see me now? My mission failed. They'll probably execute me without a trial."

"That's what I'm here for. If the Jedi decide to question you again, they may find out about **our** plan together. I can't have that happen, you know. Too much is at stake."

"You can't. They'll find out."

Sidious stretched out his hand and closed it. As Kram gasped for air, the Sith Master spoke again.

"I can make it look like you died of natural causes. And under my alter-ego, the clones will believe whatever I tell them about what happened. And without the cameras to refute me, nobody will know the difference."

Kran slowly choked and gasped before he collapsed on the floor. Sidious removed his hood and returned to his Chancellor Palpatine persona.

"Guards, guards!" he called out.

The guards quickly came and lowered the ray-shielding. They quickly spotted Kran's unconscious body.

"Chancellor, what happened? We never saw anything out of the ordinary," the lead clone guard asked.

"I think he had a heart attack. I tried to call for help, but you didn't hear me. It's a shame you couldn't see what happened. Undoubtedly, you could have saved him."

"It's okay, chancellor. After what he did he probably deserved to die that way,"

"Now, commander. I understand why you'd say that, but we should respect all life."

"I guess, you're right. But its hard to feel that way after he confessed to killing some of our brothers."

"Totally understandable. May I leave now?"

"Sure, chancellor. It's not like you murdered him. That would make no sense."

"Indeed," Palpatine replied as he calmly left the cell and prison.

As he boarded his shuttle, he cracked an evil smile.

_ You clones are easier to fool than the Jedi. Such a pity my original plan to acquire a new apprentice didn't work. But, I'm a patient man. Anakin will join me soon enough and I have all the time in the galaxy,_ he thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Closing Commentary:<strong> It's no secret that I'm **not** a fan of Barriss as the bombing mastermind. I wanted someone with a better rationale for framing Ahsoka. In my mind, a jealous former classmate fit the bill nicely. In canon, we know nothing about Ahsoka's fellow clan members. But, it seemed reasonable that a jealous classmate could cause problems, especially with Jedi's strict "no attachment/emotion" beliefs. Also, I always enjoy having the chance to portray Barriss as a healer since we never did get to see that despite her apparent off-screen promotion to Jedi Knighthood.

As I wrote this, I debated whether to turn this into a plot orchestrated by Palpatine/Sidious. I chose to go ahead and include it because it might make sense to see Palpatine slowly trying to isolate Anakin from those he trusts as we get closer to _Revenge of the Sith_. What better way than to start with an attempt to separate Ahsoka and Anakin? Not knowing how much time the writers envisioned between the original episodes, and _Revenge of the Sith_, it would make sense for Palpatine to take Ahsoka out of the picture so he could further groom Anakin for his eventual turn to the Dark Side.

I also liked the idea of Ventress double-crossing Ahsoka. I originally thought that was going to be part of the canon plot. I liked the idea enough to use it here. I also wanted to show that Ventress as a bounty hunter would be motivated more by profit than the hate she held as a dark acolyte.

If Ahsoka's censure seems familiar, that's because it is. I used a similar idea in my story, _Walking Away from the Edge_. Here, I think the council would be quick to clear Ahsoka of Letta's murder once the true culprit was captured. However, they can't overlook the fact Ahsoka sneaked out of captivity, even if she almost died as the result of her own actions and immature decision-making. Still, Ahsoka still looks forward to rejoining Anakin as his padawan as soon as possible—even if it means she has to wait an additional month to do so.

In addition, I chose to spoof the original episode titles to be more appropriate here. So, the opening title was _The Jedi Who Didn't Know Enough_ because they still had no idea what to expect and what was to come. The second title was a play on _The Search for Tomorrow_; and this chapter's title was a play on _The Defiant Ones_. Anyone that has read my past writing might know I like to do spoofs such as this if the opportunity presents itself. In fact, the character name Kran Bumfimp is an anagram of "farm bumpkin." Also, the numbers 8035 could be used to spell out B-O-E-S – four out of the five letters in the name "Bones."

Writing this story also challenged me because I have a hard time seeing Ahsoka excessively tortured or mistreated, thanks to seeing what happened to her in the Young Jedi arc. However, it seemed logical that someone so obsessed with disgracing Ahsoka here would want to do whatever he could to humiliate her. Sure, the story was a bit darker, grittier, and perhaps edgier than what I normally write. However, war isn't always pleasant, is it? Plus, the (last-second) idea to have Barriss tell Ahsoka she almost died was a good way to reinforce the idea that Ahsoka's decision to sneak out of the temple to try to clear her name had some very serious ramifications.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

END


End file.
